Coming in 2025: Yamaha joins hands with River to launch its first electric scooter

Yamaha is partnering with Bengaluru-based EV startup River to develop its first global electric scooter, codenamed RY01. Based on River Indie, this scooter utilizes same powertrain and BMS, offering cost advantages and aligning with India's demands.

River Indie Electric Scooter

With all competitors in the two-wheeler segment embracing electric mobility, Yamaha's entry was inevitable. A recent report reveals Yamaha's partnership with Bengaluru-based EV startup River to develop and manufacture its first global electric scooter. 

This marks Yamaha's entry into the mass-market electric two-wheeler segment and a shift in its product strategy. Codenamed RY01, this Yamaha electric scooter is based on the River Indie, utilizing the same powertrain and BMS.

According to Autocar India, production for the upcoming battery-powered scooter is expected to commence somewhere between July and September 2025, with Yamaha aiming for a market launch later this year. The scooter is currently being developed in collaboration with Yamaha's global engineering teams in Japan, the US, and Europe, along with River in Bengaluru. 

While Yamaha retains ownership of the project, River has been given complete responsibility for its execution, including engineering, R&D, powertrain, battery integration, and manufacturing. But why did Yamaha choose to build an electric scooter based on an existing platform, despite having one of the largest R&D teams globally?

Building a battery-powered scooter on an existing platform offers several advantages for Yamaha, the biggest being cost. With India being a primarily budget-conscious market, this project will be less intrusive on Yamaha's pocket, which will show in its price tag. 

Secondly, most e-scooters introduced by Yamaha in Europe and other countries are low-speed models, which don't have commercial viability in India. A performance-oriented model will resonate more with the brand's core brand DNA.

Although the Yamaha electric scooter will share the same core platform, powertrain, and BMS as the River Indie, the report mentions that it will have a unique design language that aligns more closely with Yamaha's sporty identity. The RY01 will be manufactured in India by River and exported globally.

As mentioned earlier, the top hat will be quite different from the River Indie, so, it's quite difficult to gauge the looks of the upcoming e-scooter at this point in time. However, it will most likely share the same specifications as the Indie, which gets a 4 kWh battery that promises a range of 161 km on a single charge (IDC certified). This battery sends power to a 6.7 kW (approx. 9 bhp) PMSM electric motor. We expect the scooter to be priced competitively upwards of Rs 1 lakh (ex-showroom).